Before, during, or after every single one of my shows since August, someone comments on what a beautiful guitar I play, which would normally be a reassuring indicator that a musician who made a significant purchase can rest easy in the joy of hard-earned cash well spent. My problem? It’s not mine.

This unbelievably gorgeous, bright orange 2008-ish Gretsch Electromatic, complete with Bigsby vibrato and crusted with the salt of my sweat and tears, belongs to one Matt Lorence — lead Henchman of Omaha’s finest post-revival surf rock outfit, Anonymous Henchmen. Mr. Lorence tolerates my amatuer bass-playing with the Henchmen and in exchange I’ve been hoarding his instrument for almost a year. Win-win.

The Gretsch has taken me into uncharted territory with my songwriting. I imagine playing any electric guitar after a decade of acoustics would’ve done something, but I choose to believe I was waiting to find  the Gretsch to truly begin to discover a sensibility that pulls magnetically to the power-pop side of my writing and brings out every feeling I’ve ever been unable to express without electricity (i.e., the screamy ones). It’s got the perfect balance of dirt and clarity through my Vox AC-15 (which does belong to me),  and the best part — I want to play it. All the time. My guitar playing has improved by leaps and bounds which has also been helping me express important things like how fine I am.

It sounds great solo, it sounds great with my band, it’s going to sound great on my next record, I’m super comfortable playing it, and it gets me lots of compliments — what more could a girl ask for? Oh, maybe to own it? You listenin’, Lorence? Set me up a payment plan.

See the Gretsch in action at the Flatwater Music Festival in Hastings, Neb., on June 27.